What is Horse Chestnut?
The use of horse chestnut in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous. Horse chestnut is also known as Aesculus hippocastanum, Cellu-Var, Variclear, Reparil, Varicare, Varicosin, VeinAway, Venastat, and others. Horse chestnut has been used topically to cosmetically improve the appearance of varicose veins. It has also been promoted for relief of swelling or inflammation of joints, tendons, and muscles and hemorrhoids. Horse chestnut has been used orally to improve symptoms of fatigue, and pain, nighttime cramping, itching and swelling in the legs. Horse chestnut has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiv
The horse chestnut, or Aesculus hippocastanum, is a tree that is not at all related to the chestnut tree. It is native to Asia, but is now grown widely throughout Europe and the United States, primarily for its ornamental qualities. In a medicinal capacity, horse chestnut has been used to treat many different conditions, including enlarged prostate, stomach cramps, bruises, various forms of arthritis, ear infections, hemorrhoids and ringing in the ears. You’ll find several different preparations of horse chestnut in stores that sell herbs. Some of these preparations are oral; others come in a cream or gel that is directly applied to the skin. Of these, the cream or gel appears most popular, and is widely used in Europe to treat varicose veins or Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which can cause the legs to swell, create fatigue or pain in the leg, cause varicose veins, and put people at risk for developing blood clots in the legs. For this specific purpose, horse chestnut has been ap
